Cleansing agent dispenser for washing machines



June 20, 1961 A. H. GERHARDT 2,983,908

CLEANSING AGENT DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 20, 1961 A. H. GERHARDT 2,988,908

CLEANSING AGENT DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J6 35 [71. U7ZZLO 7 andfewfigeriardi 35 "1/1 h aw United States Patent 2,988,908 CLEANSING AGENT DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES Andrew H. Gerhardt, Herrin, 111., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 27, 1957, Ser. No. 668,570 4 Claims, (CI. 68-17) The present invention relates to an automatic clothes washing machine and more particularly to an automatic device associated with a washing machine for dispensing cleansing powders and liquids into the machine at various periods during the operation of the machine.

During the conventional washing operation of an automatic clothes Washing machine, it is both desirable and necessary to add cleansing agents such as soap, detergents, bleaching agents, water softeners, bluing, and the like, to the machine. The conventional washing opera tion of such a machine comprises basically a wash period, a rinse period, and an extraction period. For the wash period, materials such as soap and bleaching agents are added to the wash water, and during the rinse period, materials such as bluing and water softeners areadded to the rinse water. In order for the machine to be entirely automatic so that it will go through an entire operation without any attention by the operator, automatic dispensing means must be provided for supplying the various additives to the machine at the various periods of the washing operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic dispenser for washing operation additives.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic additive dispenser which is associated with the water inlet for the washing machine whereby the additive is flushed into the machine by means of the incoming water during the filling periods.

These and other objects are obtained by providing a particular water inlet structure for an automatic Washing machine and having associated therewith an additive container and automatic dispensing means therefor. The additive container and dispensing means are located adjacent to and are operatively associated with a water inlet means such as disclosed in Gerhardt Patent No.

2,884,947, filed August 10, 1956, and issued May 5, 1959. The container for the additives comprises a receptacle having two compartments therein providing two troughs emptying into the water inlet means of the Washing machine. It is contemplated that the additive be in powder form and placed into the respective troughs of the container prior to initiation of the washing operation. Means are provided in the form of a secondary water inlet for admitting water to the troughs sequentially to flush the additives into the main water inlet. The secondary water inlet comprises a branch conduit from the main water supply line and has attached thereto a rotatable spout. The spout is so positioned with respect to the troughs that, in one position, water will be admitted to one of the troughs and, in its other position, water will be admitted to the other of the troughs to selectively or sequentially flush the additives into the water inlet and into the machine. Means in the form of a solenoid are provided for rotating the spout so that it may be selectively positioned over one of the two troughs. As above pointed out, it is contemplated that one of the troughs will contain bleaching agents or soap, for example, which additives are to be discharged into the Wash water prior to or during the washing operation. Consequently, the spout will be positioned over the trough containing the bleaching agents or soap at the time of filling the machine for the wash cycle and will remain at this position while 2,988,908 Patented June 20, 1 961 2 the machine is being filled with water. Bluing agents or water softeners may be placed in the other of said troughs and the spout moved to a position over this trough when the machine is being filled for the rinsing cycle of the washer operation. It is necessary to provide actuation means for the solenoid to control the location of the spout and this means may consist of an added switch on the conventional sequential timer utilized in automatic washing machines, or may be incorporated in the timer.

The invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements, and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the upper portion of an automatic clothes washing machine employing the automatic dispenser of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view partially in section, taken on lines 22 of FIG. 1, and disclosing in detail the structure of the automatic dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the solenoid taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partially in section, taken on the lines 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the additive container; and,

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit for the present dispenser.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is disclosed the upper portion of an automatic clothes washing machine with which the present invention is associated. The washing machine comprises an outer casing 10 having disposed therein a tub 11. A basket 12 is disposed within the tub 11 and contains an agitator 13. In the normal operation of an automatic washing machine of the type disclosed, the clothes are agitated during the wash cycle within the basket 12 and the basket is rotated at high speed to extract the wash water from the clothes and from the basket. An access door 14 is provided in the outer casing 10 immediately above the basket 12 so that clothes may be conveniently placed within the basket. A back guard 15 is attached to the outer casing 10 and extends upwardly therefrom and contains water inlet means 16. Associated with the water inlet means is the dispenser of the present invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 17.

The dispenser 17 comprises a receptacle or container 18 disposed within the back guard 15. The container 18 has side walls 20 and 21, end walls 22 and 23, and a bottom wall 24 which slopes or is inclined toward the water inlet means 16.- An upstanding plate 25 extends from the bottom wall of the receptacle near the center thereof and divides the container 18 into two separate compartments 26 and 27. The left end of the receptacle as viewed in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 provides communication for the container with the water inlet means 16 and also provides by means of an opening 28 an antisyphon device 'for the water inlet means. As seen in FIG. 2, the left end of the container 18 is provided with a cap 30 having an inverted funnel structure 31 to which is attached a conduit 32 which is connected to the main water supply line (not shown). The Water inlet means 16 comprises an annular conduit 33 having formed integrally therewith and centrally thereof a protruding hol- 10W flange 34 providing a flat elongated spout 35 at one side thereof extending over the edge of the basketilZ for discharging water into the basket. The conduit 33 3. has threaded thereon a cap 36, and a" baffie 34', integral with the flange 34, is provided as a splash and directing plate for the water being. discharged .throughvt'he conduit'32 into the water inlet. means. The bottom of the conduit. 33 is threaded and receives a closure plug 37.

The side walls 20 and 21 of the container 18 have formed thereon respective grooves40 and 41, said grooves receiving a gate 42. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, an extension or ear. 43 isprovided at the bottom of the upstanding plate 25. so that there is a clearance between the bottom of the gate 42 and the bottom wall 24 of the container 18 to permit water, to pass therethrough.

An opening 44 is provided in the top wall of the back guard and this opening is positioned directly above the container 18. Disposed within the opening 44 and resting on the top wall of the back guard 15 by means of a flange 45 is a combined liquid additive dispenser and compartment loading chute designated generally by the reference numeral 46. The liquid dispenser portion of the combined device is identified by reference numeral 47 and has a sloping bottom wall 48 and an opening 50 at the lowestpoint of the container to permit the liquid additive, such as soap or bleach, to drip onto the bottom wall 24 of the container 18 from whence it discharges into the water inlet means. The compartment loading chute comprises a tiltable plate 51 above the. container 18 and pivoted at its ends, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, directly above the upstanding plate 25 for selectively directing additives into either the compartment 26 or the compartment 27. The plate is, manually tilted'into a' position for loading one compartment and then' to the other position for loading the other compartment prior to operation of the washing machine. This plate thus provides for easy loading and prevents any mixing of the additives in the compartments.

The powdered additives, which are placed in troughs 26'and 27, as' before pointed out, are washed into the waterinlet means by means of an auxiliary water supply conduit 52. The conduit 52 is connected to the conduit 32 by'meansof a flexible conduit 53 and a rigid T member 54. The conduit 52 terminates in a downwardly opening spout disposed over the container 18. A flange 1 55 having an opening 56 is provided on the container 18in alignment withthe upstanding wall 25 and rotatably positions the conduit. 52 with. its spout above the compartments. The conduit 52 is adapted to be rotated into a: position discharging water into the compartment 26 during the wash-fill cycle of the washing machine operation andinto a position to discharge water. into the compartment 27 during the rinse-fill period. For this purpose, the conduit 52 is adapted to be rotated through an angle of about 45 f by means of a solenoid 57 connected to the conduit 52. The solenoid 57 is connected to the conduit 52 by means of a clamp 58, fixed to the conduit 52, and having an ear 59 thereon and a link 60 connected to the movable plunger of the solenoid. Disposed about the conduit 52 and connected to the clamp 58 at one end thereof and to the casing structure 11 at the other end thereof is a coil spring 61. The spring 61 normally positions and tends to move the conduit 52 over the compartment 27. The solenoid is energized during the wash-fill cycle so that water will be discharged into the compartment 26, and the solenoid is de-energized before the start of the rinse-fill period whereby the spring 61 moves the conduit 52 to a position for discharging water into the compartment 27 during the rinsing operation. As seen in FIG. 8, the solenoid 57 is connected to a switch 62 of a sequential controller 63 of the type disclosed in Puerner et al. Patent No. 2,641,661. The switch 62 is adapted to be energized by a cam 64, said cam being parallel to the wash-fill cam of the Puerner et al. controller so that the switch 62 will be energized during the wash-fill period and will be de-energized throughout the remainder of the washing operation.

Prior to operation of the washing machine, theplate'Sl is' tiltedto the position shown in' full lines in FIG; 5 and additive powders, such as bleach and detergents, are poured into the loading chute 46 and onto the plate 51 which directs them into the compartment 26. The plate 51 is then tilted to the broken line position shown in FIG. 5 and additive powders, such as bluing and water softener, are poured into the loading chute 46 and onto the plate and directed into the compartment 27. The operation of the washing machine is then commenced and since the machine is in its wash-fill period, the solenoid 57 is energized by the switch 62, and the conduit 52 is thus in a position discharging water into the compartment 26 which Washes the bleach and detergent powders into the water inlet means of the machine. The guard 42 is provided for retaining the powders in their respective compartments until they are discharged into the water inlet means. The washing machine then goes through its wash cycle and the basket 12 is spun to remove the wash water therefrom. Prior to this time, the switch 62 has dropped oif the cam 64 and is opened, and the solenoid 57 thus de-energized whereby the conduit 52 moves to its position over the compartment 27 under the influence of spring 61 and to the dotted line position shown in FIG; 6. The machine now goes through its rinse-fill period and that portion of the water that passes through the conduit 52 is discharged into the compartment 27 to wash the bluing and/or water softener powders into the water inlet means of the machine.

The liquid container 47 is provided in the event the housewife desires to use liquid detergents or bleaches during the wash cycle. The opening 50 is of a determined size so that the liquid will drip and empty into the water inlet means in a predetermined time, that is, the period required for filling the machine for the wash cycle.

It is thus seen that there has been provided an automatic additive dispenser for a. washing machine and that the dispenser may be loadedprior to the washer operation and will automatically dispense the additives at the required time without any attention from the machine operator.

While the present invention has been disclosed as a part of an automatic washing machine, it is to be understood that it can be usedwith other cleaning machines and especially with such machines as dishwashers.

While I have described my invention in connection with one specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and the scope of my invention is defined solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clothes washing machine, a casing; a clothesreceiving basket; a water-containing imperforate tub in said casing and enclosing said basket; a backguard connected to and extending above said casing; water inlet means in said backguard and operable to direct water into said tub; a main water supply conduit in said casing and extending into said backguard and terminating above said water inlet means; and a cleansing agent powder dispenser in said backguard and comprising an elongate container having one end thereof enclosing said water inlet means, saidcontainer including spaced side and end walls, a bottom wall sloping'toward said water inlet means, a plate disposed between and spaced from said side'walls and having one end engaging the end wall remote from saidwateri'inlet'means, said plate dividing said container into first and second compartments adapted to contain cleansing agent powders to be added to said tub and to empty into said water inlet means, said container also including a gate adjacent said water inlet means and spaced from the bottom wall of said container, said gate extending between and connected to the side walls of. said container and engaging the other end of'said' plate adjacent said water inlet means for retaining the cleansing agent powders in said compartments prior to discharge of water into said compartments, a tiltable plate disposed above and extending into said container and pivoted at its ends to provide a loading chute for said container and adapted to direct cleansing agent powders selectively into said compartments, an auxiliary water supply conduit having one end connected to and receiving water iirom said main water supply conduit in said casing and terminating at its other end in a spout extending over said container, means for rotatably mounting said auxiliary water supply conduit on said container adjacent the end wall thereof remote from said main water supply conduit, and means for rotating said conduit to dispose said spout thereof from a water discharging position over said first compartment to a water discharging position over said second compartment to selectively direct water into said compartments to flush the cleansing agent powders along the bottom wall and under the gate of said container into said water inlet means.

2. In a clothes washing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the auxiliary water supply conduit includes a solenoid connected to the auxiliary conduit for rotating the auxiliary conduit in one direction upon energization of the solenoid, and a spring connected to the auxiliary conduit and operative to move the auxiliary conduit in the other and opposite direction upon deenergization of said solenoid.

3. In a clothes washing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the auxiliary water supply conduit is an electrically operated solenoid connected to a radially extending portion of the cylindrical auxiliary water supply conduit and adapted to rotate the auxiliary conduit in one direction, and a coil spring surrounding the auxiliary conduit and having one end fixed to the casing and the other end connected to the radially extending portion of the auxiliary conduit for rotation in the other and opposite direction by an unwinding action of the spring upon deenergization of the solenoid.

4. In a clothes washing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein a receptacle for liquid additives extends within said container and is supported on said plate adjacent the gate of said container, said receptacle having a bottom wall sloping toward said water inlet means and tenninating in an opening in its lower end whereby liquid additives in the receptacle drip onto the bottom wall of the container and flow into the water inlet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,683 Cochrane Jan. 16, 1894 2,154,566 Frantz et al. Apr. 18, 1939 2,312,950 Zimarik Mar. 2, 1943 2,323,993 Harvey July 13, 1943 2,422,897 Hebard et a1 June 24, 1947 2,534,014 Gayring et a1 Dec. 12, 1950 2,647,384 Erlanger Aug. 4, 1953 

